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How to Use Your Queen as Bait in Chess

The queen is the most powerful piece on the chess board and many opponents will grasp any opportunity to capture it. In doing so, they may unwittingly leave themselves wide open to a counterattack -- many classic chess matches have been won in this way. Using your queen as bait or allowing it to be captured in the hope of winning the game requires intense concentration and the ability to think several moves ahead.

Instructions

- 1
  Study classic chess games involving a queen sacrifice. A good place to start is the so-called "Game of the Century" between the then 13-year-old Bobby Fischer and former U.S. Open Champion, Donald Byrne, which took place in 1956. Fischer sacrificed his Queen in move 17 and went on to win.
- 2
  Learn the Legal's Mate. Playing as white, begin by moving your king's pawn two squares forward to e4, a move that your opponent will match. Then move your king's knight to f3, threatening your opponent's pawn on e5. You opponent will respond by placing a pawn on d6 so that if your knight took the pawn it would immediately be captured.
- 3
  Move your bishop from f1 to c4. Your opponent responds by moving their own bishop from c6 to g4. This move pins your knight to your queen. If you move your knight your queen can be taken. Move your other knight from b1 to c3, ostensibly to protect your queen. Wait for your opponent to make their next move -- whatever they do will not affect the progress of the game.
- 4
  Use your knight on f3 to capture the pawn on e5. Black immediately sees the queen is vulnerable and rushes in to take the bait, capturing the queen with its bishop. Move your own bishop from c4 to f7, placing the black king in check. Black has no choice but to move the king one square forward to e7 as there are no other available squares.
- 5
  Move your knight from c3 to d5 to checkmate and win the game.

Chess & Checkers